Group Lead - Assembly Technician Team

AeroVironment•Albuquerque, NM

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

AV is seeking an experienced and highly organized Group Lead to provide daily leadership, direction, and technical oversight to a team of Assembly Technicians responsible for building, assembling, and testing mission-critical space-qualified hardware. The Group Lead will serve as the primary on-the-floor leader, ensuring that all assembly, integration, test, and documentation activities are performed safely, accurately, on schedule, and in strict compliance with procedures, quality standards, and mission requirements for flight and space hardware.

Requirements

Minimum 6 years of hands-on experience assembling and testing space flight or high-reliability aerospace hardware
Previous experience as a lead, senior technician, or working group supervisor directing daily activities of 4+ technicians
Demonstrated expert-level proficiency in all core Assembly Technician responsibilities including: Precision assembly in cleanroom environments, Reading & interpreting complex drawings, schematics, ICDs, and work instructions, Mixing/applying flight-qualified epoxies and adhesives, ESD-sensitive hardware handling, Component inspection, cleaning, vacuum bake-out, and traveler documentation
Strong working knowledge of J-STD-001 (Space Addendum), IPC-A-610, and/or IPC/WHMA-A-620 standards
Proven track record of high attention to detail and zero-defect mindset in flight hardware production
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to clearly explain technical concepts and give effective direction
Demonstrated ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under schedule pressure and during anomaly situations
U.S. Citizenship required
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD clearance

Nice To Haves

Current certifications: J-STD-001 (Space Addendum), IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620
Prior experience leading teams through TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC, or other qualification testing campaigns
Experience with configuration management and as-built documentation in a formal AS9100 / ISO 9001 environment
Familiarity with space-grade materials, fasteners, conformal coating, staking, and harnessing processes
Previous experience supporting GEO, MEO, LEO, or Cislunar mission hardware
Lean / Six Sigma training or demonstrated history of driving process improvements

Responsibilities

Provide daily work direction, task assignment, and priority setting for a team of 6 - 14 Assembly Technicians
Monitor progress of multiple assemblies/subassemblies in real time; reallocate resources and adjust priorities as needed to meet schedule milestones
Perform hands-on technical leadership including: Demonstrating critical assembly techniques, Troubleshooting complex assembly issues, Verifying work-in-process quality and workmanship
Serve as primary on-shift point-of-contact for technicians regarding technical questions, procedure interpretation, and discrepancy resolution
Conduct pre-shift briefings, safety stand-downs, and end-of-shift pass-downs
Ensure strict adherence to ESD controls, cleanroom protocols, FOD prevention, and contamination control requirements
Review and approve technician-generated documentation (travelers, discrepancy reports, as-built records, test data, COC/COA verification) for accuracy and completeness
Identify and escalate technical, schedule, or resource constraints to Manufacturing Management and Engineering in a timely manner
Assist in training and onboarding new technicians; perform skill assessments and provide feedback for performance reviews
Support continuous improvement initiatives including procedure updates, tool/equipment improvements, and process standardization
Actively participate in MRB (Material Review Board), Failure Review Boards, and build readiness reviews when required
Coordinate with Test Engineering, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, and Engineering to resolve issues impacting assembly flow
Occasionally perform technician-level assembly, bonding, staking, harness installation, or test support during peak periods or critical operations
Enforce and model AV's safety, quality, and mission-success-first culture